The Distorted Dungeon's Return
Irene called out, and the maid bent toward her—but then froze in place.
She stood frozen in that awkward posture, and Irene felt a deep sense of revulsion.
No human would ever stop moving while bent over like that.
Yet the horror and disgust she sensed from this movement that was neither human nor truly monster-filled her body.
“It really existed.”
Honestly, when she had heard Wilhelmina’s story about being witnessed by the maid, Irene had thought, Surely not.
If it was true and the monster was real, then surely by now it would no longer be able to maintain its existence and would have vanished.
But seeing it so vividly now, expecting it to disappear seemed far too optimistic.
The time-frozen monster twitched once, then suddenly whipped its body around.
“……”
Irene felt her hair stand on end at the sight of the monster turning.
Wilhelmina’s back view was exactly as the maid had described.
The rear looked human, yet the front was a doll made of red mud.
“The appearance…”
Is a bit different?
The maid had said that when Wilhelmina turned, she had a completely blank face like a glossy egg shell.
But the front of the monster facing Irene now had faint yet clearly defined features.
Still blunt and just beginning to form, Irene knew the moment she saw it.
This was deliberately imitating Wilhelmina’s face.
Shocked, Irene opened her mouth.
She had to scream and call for help right away.
At that moment—
——————!
Before Irene could shout, the monster formed something like a mouth and spoke.
The instant she heard that sound, Irene collapsed straight to the floor.
The book she had been holding tumbled across the ground.
“My body won’t move!”
Was this the monster’s attack method?
Hearing its eerie noise had completely paralyzed her body.
Her mind remained awake, but her limbs were stiffly frozen.
She couldn’t even blink.
Realizing the attack had taken effect, the monster’s mouth curved into a wicked smile.
Even that was exactly like Wilhelmina, sending a chill down Irene’s spine.
The Wilhelmina-like monster began slowly approaching Irene.
Slowly, like a hunter who knew its prey could not escape.
Meanwhile, Irene struggled desperately to make a sound.
But even as the monster drew closer, her body stayed completely paralyzed.
Obviously, the monster radiated pure hostility toward Irene.
Especially as it neared, its nails sharpened like a beast’s claws, and its face formed a mouth filled only with sharp, pointed fangs.
“Am I really going to die like this?”
It was a life she had already died once.
Yet a miracle had brought her back to the past.
Since then, she had worked like a madman to change her future.
And now she was filled with hope that the future she wanted was finally within reach.
A monster she had never seen in her previous life had appeared and would kill her so easily.
It was ridiculous.
And it made her furious.
Was it really happening like this?
Just like this?
Would all her efforts until now disappear?
Irene desperately forced strength into her body.
From her fingertips, the faintest trace of purifying light began to seep out.
Meanwhile, the paralysis seemed to be easing.
Her fingertips twitched slightly.
But she was still far from rising and running.
Was it the sight of Irene twitching that startled the monster?
The monster’s steps quickened.
When it lifted its sharp claws to strike, ready to impale her—
KRRRACK!
With a crisp sound, the monster flew through the air and crashed into the wall.
Staring blankly at the scene, Irene moved her eyes.
What? Who helped me?
Unable to move her head, she could only roll her eyes in distress when a whooshing sound cut through the air.
The next moment, the monster that had slammed into the wall and rolled across the floor suddenly rose again into the air.
“That’s—”
The instant she saw the rising monster, she spotted thick, peach-colored tentacles wrapping around its waist.
“Dungeon tentacles!”
Recently, the same tentacles that had appeared before Irene in the fortress and fled had returned.
What she found incomprehensible was that the tentacles were attacking the fake Wilhelmina.
Both were monsters.
So why attack each other instead of turning on the humans present?
“Why are they fighting each other?”
Did their strength match?
Their clash was evenly matched.
When the fake Wilhelmina slashed at the tentacles with claws and teeth, the tentacles created new ones from its body to wrap around the fake Wilhelmina.
Wrap and cut, wrap and cut.
At first they fought evenly.
But as time passed, it became clear the tentacles were gaining the upper hand.
“Strange sounds are coming from above!”
At that moment, the sound of people approaching reached them.
Realizing that if people came, they would be in danger, the monsters froze.
After a moment of hesitation, the fake Wilhelmina’s form slowly faded.
And then it vanished completely.
The tentacles that had been gripping it shook its body madly in fury.
“You…”
At that moment, Irene’s paralyzed mouth moved on its own, and she called out to the tentacles.
“It’s definitely… from the distortion dungeon…”
Did the tentacles hear her?
It shook its body violently, as if nodding.
If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, it seemed to be shouting, “That’s right! That’s me!”
Next, the tentacles pointed toward the space where the fake Wilhelmina had vanished.
Their movement looked like they were boasting that they had slain the fake Wilhelmina themselves.
Meanwhile, the people’s voices grew closer.
The tentacles, hearing that sound, shook their bodies lightly left and right as if waving, then slid back into the corridor corner and disappeared.
A short while later.
“Lady Irene!”
From the direction where the tentacles had vanished, the maid and knights rushed out, saying they had seen nothing.
***
“May I raise my hand again?”
At the doctor’s words, Irene lifted her trembling hand with difficulty.
“The paralysis is clearing faster and faster.
If this continues, it should be completely gone by tomorrow morning.
However, after-effects may remain, so we will examine you four times a day.
Are you all right?”
“……”
Please do.
Irene answered with great effort.
The doctor examined Irene’s body more closely, gave instructions to the maids, and left the room.
The moment the doctor left, Reina approached.
“What on earth is this?
Monsters appearing inside the fortress?
Two of them, no less.”
“Yeah… I don’t know either.”
Because the paralysis had not yet fully lifted, Irene’s voice cracked.
“Don’t force yourself to speak.
Rest well for now.
Also, for the time being, Reina and I will stay in this room.
“Huh? But…”
“You mean you don’t have to?”
Honestly, I just want to be with you.
Because… it’s scary!”
Reina said with a gloomy face.
“Thanks to Irene’s sighting, it turned out those really do exist as monsters, and now it’s known they can appear and disappear at will.
The entire fortress has been placed under a strict order.”
As she spoke, Reina walked to the long sofa, pulled a cushion over, and lay down.
It seemed she intended to sleep right there.
“From now on, until we find and kill that monster, you must always be accompanied by at least two people.
By the way, Cynthia went to get her pajamas.
“……”
From the look of it, she had no intention of leaving this place until the monster was caught.
“Well… no reason to send her back either.”
After all, if she had to be with others, she might as well be with Reina and Cynthia.
At that moment, the door opened with a knock.
“Irene!”
Of course, the only person who could enter the room without permission was Michael.
The moment he approached Irene, he asked.
“Did that thing protect you?”
That thing?
Irene tilted her head for a moment, then realized he meant the tentacle monster.
At the same time, she wondered oddly.
After all, it was the same monster, and even the one that had attacked him inside the dungeon.
Why did he call it with such familiarity?